Western Cape, Whitey Jacobs, at the Cultural Awards function held at V&A
Waterfront, Cape Town
24 November 2006
"The past week has seen us hosting a very well organised Xhosa festival in
Langa. The objective of the festival was to demonstrate the role of language in
the process of nation building. It was also an attempt to elevate the Xhosa
language to that of all other official languages of our province.
It is important always to remember what role language, art, culture,
heritage, libraries and archives play to send out important messages to our
people. Tonight we will be celebrating that.
During the Xhosa festival, music was a central theme. This was showcased
with the wonderful performances of people like Madosini, Dizu Plaatjie, Silvia
Mdunyelwa, Zindala Zombili, Ntombethongo, Louis Moholo, Robbie Jansen and Zim
Ngqawana and many others.
A key element of the festival was the showcasing of indigenous music and
musical instruments. I want to encourage all of you to view the indigenous
exhibition at the Iziko Museum that was opened during Heritage Month this year.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Iziko museum for the collection of
these indigenous instruments.
"Our Music our Heritage": South Africa has a rich and diverse intangible
heritage that includes her musical traditions, ritual, oral history, popular
memory and performances such as dance and drama.
These different forms of expression transcend all population groups,
cultural backgrounds and ages. Music in particular has a significant place in
our intangible heritage. It is integral to all the rites from birth to death in
every section of our population. It is for this reason that we celebrated "Our
Music our Heritage" during Heritage Month this year.
Arts and culture through out history has not merely been used to entertain.
It has been used to teach, to send a message and to conscientise people. Arts
and Culture has served as a medium to mobilise and unite people against wars of
oppression.
Arts and Culture has served as a medium to express emotion and love, even
hate.
Arts and Culture has served as a medium to raise the consciousness of
nations
Arts and Culture has served to uplift and develop communities in both urban and
rural areas.
Arts and Culture has served as an alternative to social problems.
The album "Vastrap" Island teaches us about the early colonialisation of and
the events that took place on the shores of Table Bay. Vastrap was a dance
performed by the Khoi people. Robbie Jansen with this album reminds us of the
role music and jazz plays in teaching us about this history.
"Asiyi apho" teaches us about the resistance to force removals. "Yakhala
Nkomo" teach us about the process of the dispossession of land and livestock as
well as that of religion and traditions. Winston Mankunku Ngozi illustrates
this in his rendition of these songs.
"Ingqumbo Yeminyanya" teaches us about the evolution of traditions in our
society and the contradiction that emerged from it. It teaches us how Western
and African cultures merged to form a uniquely South African tradition. This
story is told in a popular writing by A C Jordan, the father of Minister Pallo
Jordan. Mzwandile Mangxangana in the drama based on this book played a critical
role as Dlelaphantsi to bring this story across.
In the poem "To shiver in the colour of human" from the collection "Colour
does not come alone" Antjie Krog reminds us of the role poetry can and must
play in nation building. This poem is a good example of what I am trying to put
across tonight. The poem urges us to start anew as one people and I wish to
quote from it:
It starts with "Hoe word jy heel. Hoe sny jy skoon."
She continues "Van hier af van die moment af gaan dit anders klink"
"Ons weet nou mekaar.
Ons is stadig mekaar opnuut
nuut
en hier begin dit."
For further enquiries:
Mandla Yeki
Spokesperson for Ministry
Tel: (021) 483 9804
Fax: (021) 483 9801
Cell: 079 511 2087
Issued by: Department of Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation, Western
Cape Provincial Government
24 November 2006
